


Sunken Ships and Sea Drowned Hearts

by ScarredMuzzle



Category: Septiplier - Fandom
Genre: Fisherman Jack, Kingdoms! Au, M/M, Mermaid! AU, Merman Mark, Prince Mark
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-08-05
Updated: 2016-08-20
Packaged: 2018-07-29 14:27:18
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 8,582
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7687969
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ScarredMuzzle/pseuds/ScarredMuzzle
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Jack, a crab fisherman is comfortable in his routine of crab, eat, sleep. He is young for the business, but it was only because he had to take over very suddenly, because of the "Incident". Mother Nature decides that Jack has more to life than just crabbing and one fateful night, his world is flipped. He's thrown into wars and creatures he never knew existed. His past is clouded, riddled with holes and perhaps a mermaid or two.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. The Storm

**Author's Note:**

> Inspired by Felix's play through of the wonderful game Abzu.

Jack watched as the men below threw another cage overboard. He watched as the orange buoy followed it, bouncing in the rough waves. He continued on, making sure to warn any of the crew if a particularly large wave was to crash over the edge of the boat. The night air had a bite to it, nipping his ears and his nose as he watched from the captain's cabin on the highest part of the _Golden Light._

He sighed, making sure that everything was working correctly and that they were still on course, despite the strong currents that the boat cut through. The long metal arm of the on board crane loomed over the edge, brushing the waters with its talons before grasping a buoy. The gears worked, moving the crane stiffly back to hover above the deck. The men grabbed the buoy and pulled. The sea drowned rope coiled at their feet as the cage broke the surface. The pulled it on board with the crane's help and opened the hatch, flooding the sorting table with fat crabs. The others went work quickly, inspecting each crab, seeing if it was worth putting into the hold below.

The sun was peaking over the horizon when Jack pulled back into port to unload. The men had an hour to check equipment, unload the crabs, and replenish any food or essential items. The Irishman watched as all the men scurried off board, continuing to their assigned duties. He sighed and cleaned off his desk, making sure that he had the course set correctly before something caught his eye. It was a framed picture of him and his dad, bolted down to the wall. Jack smiled sadly as he ran his dusting cloth over it, feeling the hand carved wooden frame. It was made out of the driftwood that Jack loved to collect when he was younger.

His dad had died five years ago and Jack had never felt more heart broken. He was working on the deck on a rough night when his dad decided to come down and tell everyone to retire for the night, since the speakers were broken by the rough winds. Just as the last person was filing in to the cabins, Jack being the last one, a massive wave hit. It swept Jack off his feet, carrying him to the legs of the metal sorting table. His dad was not as lucky and was carried over board, into the festering waters below. The crew had seen and ran for Jack hoisting him into the cabin. He was screaming and crying, begging the crew to go search. The two men that dragged him in, Joey and Matthias, went up to the captain’s quarters, turning on the search light and raking it over the waters. For the first time in her existence, the _Golden Light_ dropped her anchor somewhere other than the port.

A senior crew worker came in to calm Jack down. Brian was his name. Jack asked if he thought his dad was still alive. Brian simply looked him in the eye and said, “He went doing what he loved, boy. No one could ask for anything better.” Another round of fat tears poured silently from his sky blue eyes. Brian offered an arm of comfort. Hours upon hours later, Joey and Matthias came back into the cabins. One look was all it took to tell that they had not found a thing. The crew had gathered, grieving silently. They had no idea what to do. Old Man McLoughlin was their rock, the thing that kept the crew together, kept them from fighting in the small space they had to share. Jack looked around, seeing the faces of the men he knew by heart. Sam, Nate, Arin, Danny, Ross, Ian, Rafe, Henry, Brian, Bryan, Joey, Matthias, Jordan, Tucker, Tom.

Everyone here was counting on him. He knew the control panel like the back of his hand, he knew every nook and cranny aboard the vessel he was born on. He had first learned to stand and walk with the waves rocking the ship. The smell of crab chum and stale cabin air was home. The engine rumbling, the cages crashing together as they were tied onto the deck, the shouts of the crew talking over the wind, this was home. This was his ship and no one was going to take it from him.

The crew watched, a little stunned as he made his way to the captain's cabin and took his place behind the wheel.

“Get to work, you useless arses!” The command came from the now fixed speaker and one strong Irishman. The crew scrambled to get to their posts. Brian made his way up to the cabin and shadowed Jack for a week, making sure the crew got the correct orders on what to send out. Jack held them to the same high standards as his dad, making sure no one slacked off. But Brian was the one that really helped him.

He would remind Jack to eat when he forgot, and Brian was the one that carried Jack off to bed when he fell asleep at the wheel. Brian was there to ground him and help him through not working himself to exhaustion. A year went by and Brian had to say goodbye, though regretfully, because he wanted to be there more for his wife and kids. Jack understood and they threw a party, celebrating Brian's time on board. When the others were shitfaced, Jack pulled Brian off to the side and gave him a huge hug.

“Thank ye.” Was all Jack had to say and Brian understood. They bid him farewell that morning, and returned to sea. Jack noticed that he returned to his old habits, hardly sleeping and eating. He forced himself to listen to his body and got better, burying himself in his work and mapping out new courses.

Joey and Matthias were now his prime care takers, although they only had to occasionally carry him to his bed. All was going okay. They were bringing in a decent amount of crabs, meaning a decent amount of pay.

Jack was pulled from his memories when Matthias opened the door, two steaming cups in hand. His co-captain handed the black coffee to Jack and he took it gratefully, burning his tongue with the bitter taste. Matthias left soon after and once everyone was on board, they set off at about noon. As they got to the part of the ocean where it looked as if it stretched endlessly, Jack ordered the crew to drop the cages. As they worked, Jack kept a silent vigil, hoping it would appear.

A flash of black and red scales and Jack smiled. The strange ocean creature was still here. Not long after Jack's father had passed, a sea creature had started following the boat. Jack caught very rare glimpses. Perhaps a flash of scales, or, if he was really lucky, a splash from a tail. Jack had no idea what this creature was, despite being on the sea his whole life and knowing nearly every animal in it's inky depths. The creature was always there though, and made Jack feel as if he had a friend.

The creature never made itself known to the other crew members, only flashing its scales to Jack. He found himself keeping an eye open for the creature, always catching the flash of scales from the corner of his eye. It was as if the creature knew when was watching because it was rare that Jack did not see it if he looked. The creature gave him silent comfort and reassurance on leading the crew on his own and without the help of Brian. Jack considered it his own.

+++

It was a windy day, and the waves were tossing mercilessly. The clouds covered the sky with angry gray streaks, darkening to black or purple. Jack was wondering if he should call the crew in when something flashed out of the corner of his eye. The scales. If the creature was still here things must be fine, Jack decided. He instead told the day crew to rouse the night crew as the clouds disappeared to the failing light. As the crew changed, Jack checked the weather and the course, making sure they stayed along the lines where they could pick up the cages they had dropped previously.

As the night crew got to work, the wind worsened. It sprayed salt water up so high that Jack could feel it in the cabin. The clouds had also decided to let lose and the rain started pattering down. The hoods of the crew went up and they continued working. Thunder and lightning started crackling, giving Jack brief glimpses of the waves that rolled towards the boat. They were massive and frothing at the top, curling under themselves just as the crashed against the metal hull of the ship.

It came to the point where Jack turned the spotlight on and shouted warnings every few minutes, telling the crew to grab something and hunker down. The waves came over the edge of the boat and washed away quickly. Jack was getting worried when Matthias cried out. His leg was tangled in the rope that was connected to a cage...that was already thrown over. Joey was desperately trying to hack at the rope with a dull blade but it wouldn't give.

The rest of the crew tried to find something sharper while Bryan and Jordan held onto the rope, their strength diminishing. Jack grabbed the emergency window ax, pressed the distress button and ran out into the storm, the door slamming and shuttering behind him. The distress button sent out a beacon like signal, requesting medical assistance and search parties automatically to the nearest coast guard. He ran down to the deck and desperately hacked at the rope, making a bigger dent than Joey had. Matthias screamed in pain as his ankle twisted in the rope. Jack finally got him free and Bryan and Joey started dragging him over to the cabin. The day crew was out on deck as well, battening down equipment because the storm was too rough to crab through.

Bryan saw it first and screamed. Everyone turned to look and saw the massive wall of water bearing towards us. Everyone tried to find something to hold onto but it was too late,. The wave crashed. Jack's head hit the deck and he fell to the wood. The rest of the crew were in similar situations. As the water receded, the crew was dragged over board into the icy waters below. The darkness swallowed everyone up, muffling screams and cries for each other. Jack couldn’t move his limbs. His head felt too foggy. Jack had one thought as he slowly went down in the water.

 

 

' _I've failed them.'_

 

 

He saw a flash of black and red, and then, nothing.

 

 


	2. The Stranger

_????'s POV_

 

They were all suddenly in the water, their weak legs kicking against the current. Three were crowded together very closely, the one in the middle only moving one leg. Strange. I saw mine sinking, unmoving. I swam over and took him in my arms gently. He was too cold for his kind and he was fading fast. I quickly bit his neck, leaving a gaping wound that would heal soon enough. Blood curled in the water in thin wisps, moving delicately. The others were crowding together now, in a pile of bent limbs and wet cloth. I heard something above the Surface and looked up. The water was disturbed and rippling. The giant metal beast hovered, long tendrils coming off its bottom. One by one, they disappeared. The first was the one legged, than the rest.

He could hear faint screaming as the last one was lifted. The metal beast had glowing eyes that raked over the Surface. The metal weight dropped from the boat and disappeared into the blackness. Then the beast was gone. The lights of the boat went out. It was peacefully dark. I snuggled mine closer into my arms, watching the bubbles drip from his mouth. When they stopped, I took the stupid cloth away from his body. They were swept away in the current, torn to shreds by my claws. His head looked bruised and there was a small cut on his lip and above his eye.

I cradled him close, twining around the taunt chain of the metal weight. Down, down, down, we went. The orb around my neck glowed warmly, allowing me to get a better view of him.

His body was pale as the Surface cotton and his hair was brown like the starfish that coated the rocks. His body changed very little when I came to Abzu, the kingdom in which my family ruled. The lines of the gills had started appearing where I hadn't bit him and his ears were looking a little more pointed. I brought him to the my private infirmary and set him on the bed. His chest started a steady up and down rhythm now. His newly formed gills were flexing and his fingers were looking a little more sharp.

I gently coated his wrists in the Attract, coaxing the seaweed (which was growing all around the bed) to wrap around the wrists. Once the seaweed sensed the Attract, it tightened its hold around the pale skin, latching the arms to the bed. I moved farther down his body, layering his legs thickly. The seaweed already sensed it and wrapped his legs together, making a type of cocoon that went all the way up to under his belly button. He needed it if he was to Change soon. The seaweed around his wrist was so he wouldn't injure himself when he woke up. I also rubbed some of the Attract around the bite wound. The seaweed latched on, using its healing properties instantly. Good.

I made sure he was breathing properly and grabbed some food from the storage. He seemed thin, even for a human. I would have to fatten him up some. I ate the fish, watching him and checking to see if he had any developments in Changing. I smiled when I saw that his hands were slowly becoming webbed, the fingers looking more like my sharp, talon like digits. The skin in between his fingers had a blue green hue, matching the sea on the pretty days. I amused myself with scale cleaning until he woke up

+++

_Jack's POV_

 

My eyes slowly opened, everything fuzzy and blurry. I looked around a bit before I spotted _it._ It looked like a man, the same face, though pointier ears. Its hair was floating upright for some reason, the raven strands tipped with red. Its torso looked normal and tan, muscled as well. But that's where the similarities ended.

Right below its belly button, where the waistband of some jeans would normally sit, there were scales. They continued down into a long, fish like tail, tipped off with red tail fins. The tail fins split into four wispy ends, curling and dancing. The scales shimmered in whatever light was present. Its hands where webbed and talon like, ending in sharp points. Scales sprinkled the back of his hand, accenting the thin skin between its fingers that was tinted red. Around its neck was a necklace with a small pendent, embedded with a small orb. The orb pulsed lightly, seemingly having a heartbeat of its own. Its eyes were the most startling. Snake like pupils, the slits black and the rest red.

I felt my strength slowly returning, not sure why I felt so numb. I went to move my arm and realized I couldn't. I struggled, shocked when I saw bubbles pour from my mouth.

“WHAT THE FOOK?” I screeched trying to move and escape the seaweed that was wrapped around me. It only tightened, like a snake with its prey. The creature sprung into action, holding down my arms. I couldn’t help but notice how gracefully its tail moved.

“Calm down there, buddy.” bubbled from its mouth. I did, just a little bit.

“Why am I tied down and what the fookin' hell is goin' on!?” I demanded to know. The creature looked a little sheepish, rubbing the back of his neck. Only then did I notice the red fin that lined each forearm. “I guess, really, welcome to Abzu! The merpeople kingdom of the Atlantic ocean.” He said it with a sort of pride. I guess he was proud of his home. He continued.

“Right now, you're tied down to help with the Changing and so you don't injure yourself during the Changing.” I balked at him. I took a look at my fingers and nearly screamed. The skin in between each finger had grown. It was thin enough to see through and looked like a frog's foot. My fingers seemed to be growing sharper and when I shifted my head the smallest bit, I could see the beginning of a fin on my forearm. Well, shite. He rambled on.

“I saw you guys fall from the Surface and went up to investigate. You were unconscious and dying, so I gave you the Bite and made sure your other crew members were fine. There was one that seemed injured because he was only moving one leg. Then this large metal flying beast came around and lifted everyone off the Surface. The really tall one was last and his screaming sounded angry. Then I brought you down here so the Changing could go smoothly.” He must of saw the look of confusion on my face because he asked. “What's wrong?”

“What's wrong?” I asked hysterically. “WHAT'S WRONG? My crew thinks I'm dead! I was supposed to keep them safe! Matthias had a broken ankle and Joey probably wanted to dive back in to save me! And you ask me what's wrong?” I was broken. But I traced over the creature's words. _Merpeople. Down here_.

“What do you mean by _down here_?” I asked through gritted teeth. “What do you mean by merpeople? And by Changing?” My questions came in a flood, but it didn't seemed surprised.

“First off! We are currently at the bottom of the Atlantic Ocean. Second, merpeople. Mermaids and merman are real. Apparently to what _was_ your kind, we don't exist.” It gestured to itself. “But we do. And lastly.” It took what could only be described as a deep breath. “Remember the Bite I told you about before?” I slowly nodded, feeling the slight ache in my neck. “The only way to save you was to turn you into a merman. So I gave you the Bite, which transferred my acidic spit to your bloodstream and eventually to your heart. Your heart became infected, causing a different type of blood to run through your veins. This blood, although foreign to your body, allowed you to breathe underwater and exist at such low levels. And you may or may not be growing a tail in that seaweed cocoon.”

It took a moment to process. I was becoming... _a merman? What the everloving FOOK?!_ I tried to calm down, but my breathing increased and the walls looked dark around me. Black spots danced in my vision and it looked confused. Its face lit up and it cautiously approached. He whispered carefully to the seaweed on my wrist, allowing it to loosen. I was full on hyperventilating, scared shitless, and was stuck in the bottom of the ocean with a merman at my side.

It- _He_ eased me into a sitting position, rubbing my back slowly. He was doing some sort of humming, until I pinned it. Echolocation. He was sending out sound waves and letting them bounce back. I listened to the sound waves, focusing on how high or low the pitch was. It was a reassuring melody. I blankly registered that my hand was in his, clutching tightly. I closed my eyes and focused on breathing, the sound of his hums, and his thumb rubbing soothing circles in my palm.

I slowly calmed down, my breathing returning to normal rate. I refused to meet his eyes. He sat up and looked to a small plant by the edge of the wall. It looked as if it would close and open with daylight. His voice startled me as I was only used to hearing the gentle sound waves.

“You have about four more hours to go until I can let you out and inspect the progress on the Changing. How would you like to occupy your time until then?” His voice was gentle. He looked at me expectantly. I racked my brain, thinking.

“Why don't you tell me about yourself?” I asked. I was a good enough listener and maybe it would calm me down to know more about this mysterious merman. He nodded and took a seat in the coral chair he was in before. His tail was in the place of where legs would normally be. He looked relaxed, like this was a normal, everyday occurrence. His razor sharp teeth flashed when he spoke.

“My name is Mark _**Fish**_ bach. I was born to King Cliffton and Queen Dee. My older brother, King Thomas, rules now. My parents were caught in The Seven's Raging War. I would have joined them in anger and stupidity if Tom hadn't tugged me back in." He held up a clawed hand as I tried to offer any condolences. "It was a long time ago." He murmured. He turned away from my bed for a minute, collecting his thoughts and his memories. When he turned back, there seemed to be a new spark in his eye. His orb pulsed at his neck lightly, almost like it was trying to offer comfort.

"Anyway, Tom. His wife, Queen Luna, recently gave birth to my nephew, Alex. I am currently Prince of Abzu, One of Red. My brother is King of Abzu, One of Blue. And our lovely Queen Luna is Queen of Abzu, One of White. The color refers to our tails, as everyone has different color tails. The commoners have different colors, normally purple, blue, and turquoise, although it vries from kingdom to kingdom. Luna is from the Kingdom of Reef, where she was born to King of Reef, One of Green and Queen of Reef, One of Yellow. Her tail color is pretty rare.”

“At the moment, I'm studying Medicine in my private time, which I rarely get. I help Tom run the Kingdom and we have to make a lot of public appearances. Luna is currently at the Kingdom of Reef, visiting her parents with Alex. So I really have to help Tom in the coming days. Umm...Oh! Your ship! I remember now! I was traveling on my own because I wanted to get away from the kingdom after my parent's death. That's when I came upon your ship. It was night and I could tell a massive storm was happening on the surface. It was rough and you guys were getting pummeled with waves.” I flinched at that, having an idea of where this was heading.

“It was getting really rough and I remember you guys pulling up the last cage. I was following your ship because I could always manage to snag a few crabs from each cage. So when you guys pulled up the last cage, I could hear shouting. It sounded bad. Then this HUGE wave crashed onto the boat and all I could hear was screaming. Then someone landed from the Surface, but they were wrong. Their limbs were at wrong angles and their neck looked strange.” He shuddered at that, buried deep in his memories. My blood ran cold. It could only be him.

“I checked to see if he was alive and he wasn't. So I dragged him down to the bottom of the sea and buried him. I put rocks over the grave so no one would make an easy meal out of him. Did you know him?” His eyes were curious, darkened with thought. I nodded stiffly. He cocked his head in confusion. “Who?” His voice was so innocent.

“My dad.” I choked out. The seaweed loosened enough for me to bury my face in my hands. I could feel the sob shake my shoulders. His hand was on my back, rubbing soothing circles on my shoulder. We stayed like that for a long time, just two creatures trying to understand one another and their shared grief. He must've felt his story calmed me. He continued in a low, steady voice.

“After that, I never really left the ship. When you guys set port, I took the hour to come back here. My mounts would ride me out again as soon as you guys left. I stayed with the ship because I never wanted to see another human die as your father did. You guys continued a normal routine. And I followed it. After the first few weeks, I started flashing my scales, just enough so that you could see. I liked the way you smiled when you saw me. It felt like you knew me before all _this._ ” He gestured around the room.

“I eventually learned just to stick near you guys. You helped me cope with my parent's death. I made sure to coax some of the crabs into the cage each time you guys sent one down. I kept the other fish away and made sure your line didn't tangle in the sea rocks. It seemed you knew when I was around when you started looking around. So I always flashed my scales when you did. I kinda considered you my human, since you were the only one that saw me. It was certainly worth it to see your face light up in a happy smile.” His eyes looked far away, misted with fragments of memories from the last five, grief stricken years.

“Thank ye.” I murmured, not trusting my voice when it was filled with saltwater.

+++

_Mark's POV_

 

He looked a little broken, but better. I guess my life story can entertain someone for the slightest amount of time. I checked the Thymer. An hour left. I looked back to him, sitting carefully on the edge of the bed. He seemed...lost. Though there was good news. His eyes were starting to change. The pupils were turning slit like, the outer edges turning a murky color.

“Why don't you get some sleep? Your body is going to be worn out with all the sudden changes. And that...emotional turmoil isn't going to help. Plus, it should help speed up the Changing.” I suggested.

“But I'm not-” His sentence was broken by a yawn. I gave him a pointed look. He glared back and sunk back onto the bed, the seaweed making a pillow. I grabbed the rope blanket and set it over him.

“Tell me your name before you conk out?” I asked. He yawned again and snuggled into the pillow. His mouth bubbled with a word before he fell asleep, worn out by his body. My hearing was luckily able to catch it.

 

 _“_ _Jack.”_

 

 


	3. The Fight

_Mark's POV_

 

He looked rather peaceful in his sleep. I left the room and ordered the guards to alert me if he woke. I wanted to talk to Thomas about a pressing matter that I believed was becoming more urgent by the minute. I swam down the long marble halls, carpeted by sea moss. Fish wandered in and out of the large windows, swimming lazily above in the arches of the castle's arched ceiling. I approached Thomas's study, knowing well what I would find inside.

I nodded to the guards and swam in, greeted with the familiar sight of my brother surrounded by enchanted parchment. He was pouring over scrolls about the tax problem when I put my hand on his shoulder. He startled a little and I gave him a sheepish smile. He rolled his eyes and got up, opting to take a stroll through the garden than stay in the cramped room. We swam the long paths, buried deep in the garden by our favorite coral tree. Our octopus named Steve has lived there for as long as we could collectively remember.

I sat in the groves created by the “roots” and Thomas did the same. His twilight colored scales gleamed. They were a dark blue, infused with a shimmering black. He matched the Benthic zone of the ocean, dark eyes and all.

“So why did you drag me all the way to the hideout?” He asked, amusement dripping into his voice.

“You know the human I brought in earlier?” I asked.

“Of course! The guards alerted me as soon as you came into sight. Why? Did the Changing not work?” He looked worried, his wrinkles deepening.

“No! No he's fine, but I fear something rather great and it would be best if it was spread by the guard's gossip.” Thomas nodded. They were indeed very talkative.

“I fear the worst.” I told him. His eyes widened as he jumped up. He grabbed my wrist and tugged.

“Show me. Now” His voice was cold and hard like the stone castle where our problem resided.

+++

We swan through the halls, our tails pushing us at max speed. We reached the infirmary, the guards acknowledging our presence. I led him through the old ship door and shut it behind me. Thomas was already looming over the bed. He took one of Jack's hands and inspected the color and shape of the scales. The hand dropped back onto the bed with a frustrated sigh. He ran his hands over his face.

“Neptune's left fuckin' ball sack Mark! Of all the goddamn people you could have picked!” Tom raged, his hands glowing with a strange blue light.

“How was I supposed to fuckin' know?” My shot back, his own hands blaring with red. We glared at each other, locked in an eternal contest when a muffled whine came from the bed.

+++

_Jack's POV_

 

The seaweed has long since released my wrists. So I stretched and yawned, rubbing my eyes out of habit. I was met with two glaring merman. Mark realized what he was doing and shook his wrists, the weird light going away. The other merman did the same. Mark came over and checked something near my feet. He nodded, pleased with what he saw.

“Looks like we're set Jack. I can release the bindings and then we can see that new tai- Hey!” The other merman dragged him out of the room. _Weird._ I started to gently loosen the seaweed on my own.

+++

_Mark's POV_

 

Tom dragged me out of the room by my arm fin and dismissed the guards. The swam away, shell swords in hand. Tom turned to me and his eyes practically conveyed an amazing amount of anger. I held up my hands in defense, but before I could speak, he started talking.

“Mark, if he is who we think, then we are in massive amounts of trouble. The six Kingdoms will exile you and resent my rule, including our own. You really need to think about this. If he is _it_ , then I will be forced to banish you to the North.” His eyes were intense and serious. I could never explain this, even if I tried, but I had a gut instinct telling me to defend Jack at all costs. I looked him dead in the eye.

“So be it.” I said through gritted teeth.

“Mark,” Tom warned. “His eyes and hand scales already match. If his tail is b-”

“ _I said I understood!”_ I hissed. My brother looked crest fallen, as if the weight of his decision suddenly collapsed on his shoulders. His eyes just looked tired and done. I felt a sliver of remorse for what was held behind the door, but what was done was done. His crown no longer looked regal. It looked like an executor’s mask. I opened the door and was startled with a shock of light blue and shimmering green.

+++

_Jack's POV_

 

It was strange seeing a tail where my legs would normally be. I finally got all the sea weed off and was greeted by light blue scales. They looked like shards had fallen from the sky, gathered a bit of deep forest moss, and coated my tail. I moved to the side a bit, watching as the colors shimmered and changed. The sky blue held, but it had a green undertone like someone put a green filter on it. I smiled and tried moving it experimentally. It was a shock that it was like controlling one leg. The tail swished gently on the bed. I smiled and wriggled out of the bed, swimming unsteadily on my unused tail.

The translucent ends looked strange, but pretty in a weird way. The ends faded into two wisps, unlike Mark's four. I snapped my tail and was instantly propelled around the large room. I tried to stop, but unable to know how, I ran smack into Mark as he was coming back in. We went tumbling to the floor, a mess of fins and limbs. I separated myself floating up with a cautious flick of my tail. Mark rose up as well, but he seemed pale.

“My tail works!” I told him, showing my tail to him in excitement. I haven't been this giddy since I was a kid. Mark nodded and turned to the other merman, who I assumed was King Thomas because of his coral crown. His face looked stony and his eyes were sad. This whole thing was so strange.

“Mark...” His voice quivered. He was upset by something.

“Do it.” Mark's voice was laced with venom and hate. I looked between the two brothers, confused as all hell. The King took a deep breath. Ten guards appeared behind him, flooding the room and surrounding me and Mark. They held sharp shells to be used as weapons. I back up to the center of the circle, my hands held up. Mark did the same, although he was more tense, his fists clenched at his sides and his eyes seething.

+++

_Third Person POV_

 

“I, the King of Abzu, One of Blue, sentence the Prince of Abzu, One of Red, to the awaiting dungeons. He has betrayed the word of the Six Kingdoms and all who reside within any of their walls. The Prince of Abzu is hereby stripped of his title. In the morning, he will be banished to the Kingdom of North, One of Cold.” Every word he spoke, it sounded as if he regretted it. The guards sprang into action, jabbing the two center merman with swords. Tom's hands glowed once more with the eerie blue light and both Mark and Jack became encircled with it. Mark screamed in pain and went limp, his tail losing its grace. Jack kept thrashing, an invisible hand holding him still. The guards bound Mark's hands in chains and dragged him out of the room by his tail.

Jack still struggled, water roaring in his ears. His hands glowed light blue, pulsing with an energy formerly unknown to the Irishman. His eyes that were squinted shut opened, pure pulsing blue. He screamed, the guards covering their ears as the screech shook the walls with its force. Thomas still held strong, the energy he controlled rolling off his hands in waves. His words penetrated the thick of the screech.

+++

_Jack's POV_

 

Why was King Thomas doing this? I screamed, my hands and eyes burning. I saw Mark fall and get dragged away. _Why? Why was Tomas hurting his brother his_ _heir?_ I screeched until my throat felt raw, the pain flaring up around me. Why did my hands look blue? Why did the guards cover their ears when I screamed? I couldn't have been that loud. But I felt myself draining. I pushed against Thomas's force, willing myself to break free. But he was so strong. I couldn't hold it any more and I saw white. _I was so tired. So done. With everything._ I saw darkness and nothing more. The last words that poured from Thomas's mouth were the only ones I remembered.

 

 

_“The Lost Prince, One of Death.”_

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Don't kill me yet. There's more to come


	4. The Truth

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sean is Jack for simplicity
> 
> Be prepared for major plot update and information overdose, fuckers.

_Mark's POV:_

 

I woke up long before Jack, observing which dungeon Tom had put us in. My arms were straight out, held by iron bars that melted into the stone walls. My tail was held down by a loose chain, wrapping around the fins at the end. I knew come morning, I would never be welcomed back into the home I had all my life. Strange. Where would we go? To the North? No, too cold. And bloodthirsty. We could try and go to the Kingdom of Baltic. King Felix would be welcoming. He is a rather understanding man. And Queen Marzia is sweet.But we would have to loop around Ireland because no one dares try and travel over the Lost. But that would mean going into North territory, not to mention traveling through various human cities to reach the Kingdom of Baltic. Jack stirred on the opposite wall, his ears twitching. I smirked in a small moment of satisfaction, seeing that his hair was turning green, but staying brown on the sides.

He blinked himself awake, his blue and green eyes filling the dark space with thin streams of light. His blue slits gave off the glow, while the rest (that was green) stayed dark.

“The fook? Why does my head feel like shite?” His voice echoed off the stone walls.

+++

_Jack's POV:_

 

My head felt muggy as shite. Mark's baritone came from a wall that was opposite to mine.

“You were knocked out after me. We are being exiled in the morning.” His voice was somber.

“Why?” I asked quietly. It wasn't like a king to suddenly banish his heir (and brother) for just the presence of a stranger, at least in the fairy tails. I chuckled, remembering the ridiculous stories my da had conjured. I still remembered the portraits of the crabs I had drawn, hanging in the ship's thin hallways. My da never took me to school and my mom was a myth, something that hadn't even existed. Instead of addition and subtraction, I learned how many pounds of crab could produce how many euros into his pocket. When and where the crabs would travel, depending on the currents and the way the pots had come in the year prior. I was by no means short of knowledge, and could handle my own against a computer. But politics and social necessities were something that made my head spin. I would much rather be a **hermit.**

+++

_Third Person POV:_

 

Mark took a long breath, the sigh echoing and meeting Jack's newly sensitive ears.

“Jack, you grew up without a mother.” The former prince stated it with fact behind his voice, leaving no room for question in his thinly etched words. Mark could make out the shadow of the Irishman turning his head, wondering how Mark had known. Jack was about to ask when Mark spoke again.

 

“It's because she was down here. She was a mermaid, Jack. A powerful one at that.”

 

Frozen. Shock was the only way to describe it. His eyes were glazed in understanding. His shoulders were taunt, every muscle in his body was rigid and bearing the weight of one sentence.

 

_He had a mother and she was just below him the **whole time.**_

 

It explained it all. His father's refusal to talk about her. The way he sometimes just stared at the surface, as if willing for something to appear. No. _Someone._ The former prince's voice was dull and broken, carrying a weight that none should.

“Would you like to know who she was?” The question was quiet. Mark knew very well just how shattered the merman's world had become. His question echoed around the stone walls, around Jack, until the sound waves rattled his bones. It echoed like the past he didn't know he had.

Jack looked up. His eyes were different now, full of fury and sorrow. The blue iris glowed with a harsher light, no longer friendly, innocent, or curious as before. This was hardened fury and raw pain that had been bottled up inside for the last five years.

“Sure.” Barely a whisper. Mark took a deep breath. He held it, his lungs aching. When he sighed, the room felt colder. It was as if the sea realized what story was about to be told. All warmth that could be mustered in the dark corners disappeared. All that was left was Mark and Jack.

“22 human years ago, The Seven Kingdoms lived in peace. Kingdom of Bering, Kingdom of Reef, Kingdom of Baltic, Kingdom of North, Kingdom of Fire, Kingdom of Abzu and-” Mark took a shuddering breath. “Kingdom of Celtic.”

“Everyone was fine and I was only 349.” Mark paused as Jack took an intake of breath.

“ _349 years?!”_ The Irishman squealed. Mark only scoffed.

“That's about the maturity level of a-” another pause as he ran through the calculations through his mind. “19 year old human.” He explained. Jack calmed down and asked him to continue.

“Everything was going smoothly. We had the occasional border skirmish with Kingdom of Baltic and Kingdom of North, but nothing serious. I remember I was playing in the front garden with Tom when a messenger came through. He had a light green tail, meaning he was a messenger from the Kingdom of Celtic. He was on the verge of death from swimming so fast and the only thing he said before he collapsed was 'The King and Queen are dead.' The guards that were watching us ushered us inside and me and Tom had to sit in our room for a while. We heard arguing and my father calling for an increase in guards. The whole city was buzzing with the news that the King and Queen of Celtic had been murdered in their bed, throats slit ear to ear.” His chains rattled as he shifted position.

“We had sent the messenger back after he recovered, expressing our sincere consolation and sorrow. King Ken and Queen Mary were fair rulers and loved by their people. It was a shame to see them assassinated. Though, there was good news. They were survived by their daughter, Princess Adiah-” he spat the name with venom. “She was young, around my age. She was known as Princess of Celtic, One of Sea. Her tail was a beautiful mix of many sea colors. She immediately called for her coronation, becoming Queen of Celtic. Rumors were spread that the orbs imbedded in her ears pulsed with black grief.” Jack made a confused noise. Mark understood.

“All merpeople wear their Orbs differently depending on the kingdom. The royalty have their power stored within their Orbs. Commoners only wear them on the Day of Grief, Day of Love, and Day of New. Celtic merpeople wear them in their ears, Reef wear theirs around their waist, Fire wear theirs on tail chains, Baltic wear them as bracelets, North wear theirs on sashes, Bering wear theirs on head bands, and this lovely kingdom wear theirs around our neck. Our Orbs live and die with us. If a merperson dies in battle, their Orb dies as well, meaning the orb cracks and the power leaks back to the ocean. So when we bury our dead, the Orb of said person floats, so we anchor it to their grave. Orb control was banned years ago because merpeople were exploiting others. It would be unusual that an Orb changed color, but maybe extreme feelings cause it.” Jack nodded, his eyes beams rocking up and down.

“Continue please.” He requested quietly.

“Everyone was uneasy because the assassin had yet to be caught. There had always been talk of an alliance between Kingdom of North and Kingdom of Celtic. Apparently Queen Adiah had the thought to make those rumors true. She married to the Prince of North, now King of Celtic, Maverick. They created an alliance and it pleased the citizens of Celtic. It seemed to soothe the frayed nerves of everyone. But then, two months after they were happily married, Queen Adiah disappeared. No one knew where she went, not even King Maverick. Rumors flew around all of the seven kingdoms, each making a different claim. Some said she went undercover to seek revenge for her parent's death. Some said she herself was murdered and King Maverick was the cause. Others said she met a human on the Surface and fell in love. Still more said she became a commoner in Kingdom of Reef, just to disappear and never be seen again. The strongest rumor was that she went rouge and lived on her own, passing her days in uncharted lands. The rumors were endless and none seemed right. It was a year before we heard of her again. She returned to Kingdom of Celtic without word of where she went. Her people were reluctant to have her, rightly so. She was outraged, as was Maverick. Things were becoming a little more tense in Kingdom of Celtic. The all fucking hell broke loose.” Mark broke off with a cough. His gills fluttered as he tried to take in more oxygen. The small hiccup passed and he continued.

“She declared war. No reason. Not even slightly provoked. Just full on threatened us. The Kingdom of North joined her, despite us being on good terms with both. News spread and our citizens bravely gathered arms to fight. We met their army halfway and Thomas told me how they all looked.” He shuddered, his voice cracking. “He said that they were all wearing their Orbs, each and every solider. King Rufus and Queen Marley of North's Orbs were black, as was King Maverick's. They were being controlled. Both of the kingdoms were. Thomas said their eyes were blank and emotionless. If it scared him, then it really scared me. There was a reason that Orb control was banished. In the middle of it all was Queen Adiah.”

“But there were too many. Our army was getting battered and it wasn't looking good. Our top general called for us to ask for help. So we turned to King Leo and Queen Allie of Baltic. They agreed that the attack was unprovoked and sent their army to help ours. It battled them back some, but not enough. The Death Army, as they were now called, were unnaturally strong. Queen Adiah, now called Queen of Death, was feeding them her power through her Orb. She flaunted that she had killed her parents to take the throne and took their Orb power when she did it. It was the utmost unspeakable crime to do something with the likes of such. And she _flaunted_ it.”

“Six months went by of constant battle. Both us and the Kingdom of Baltic were growing weak. So we called for help. The Kingdom of Reef joined us and we drove them further back. All six monarchs were on the front lines, battling alongside the soldiers. I begged for Tom to let me go, but he refused. They beat our collective army back and we were dropping rapidly. We called for help once more and got two answers. Kingdom of Bering and Kingdom of Fire joined us, all battling against the Death Army. Then Adiah targeted us were it mattered.” He voice grew small and shattered, nothing like the regal and powerful voice Jack was used to. The Irishman's heart broke for the former prince.

“Nine monarchs fell on the battle field that day. Only Queen Scarlet of Bering survived the mass kill. She led the army bravely onward, battling in the name of her late husband. I was told she didn't stop fighting until every enemy was dead. I remember when me and Thomas received the news. How he instantly hardened and became the king that my father trained him to be. I begged him not to go to battle. I needed him and the kingdom needed him. He agreed, although I saw how badly he wanted to go. Then there was finally some good news. Fighting in honor of our late kings and queens led for us to fight for the people we loved. Every member of the Death Army was slayed. Every single one. King Rufus, Queen Marley, and King Maverick were all dead. Queen Scarlet captured Queen Adiah and ripped her Orb away, rendering her powerless. She became known as The Lost One, Queen of Death. In front of our army, she was forced to kneel, her hands tied behind her back and her fins cut off so she couldn't swim away. It was the lowest death for any given member of society. Before she died, she said one thing that shocked us all.”

 

_**“I have a son on the Surface that you will never find. He will survive me and rule this ocean in my name.”** _

 

“Queen Scarlet then decapitated her and the whole army roared. We were free from the year long battle that had claimed over 2 million people. Our victory was obviously very bitter sweet. Two kingdoms had been vanquished, with a great cost to all our people. Me and Thomas met up with all of the other heirs only to receive terrible news. Queen Scarlet had died because of her injuries. She insisted that all of the soldiers be treated first. We had 14 royalty to bury, and 2 million more. All of the soldiers well enough to walk gathered the bodies of both armies alike. The citizens of all remaining kingdoms gathered to help and everyone was soon buried on the battle field in which they died on. The 13 royalty were buried at the head of the whole army, in a straight line. The rest of the army were buried in front of them, in rows of 13. Their Orbs held place above their graves and the field became known as Death Valley. Adiah was left to float to the surface, her Orb crushed into a million pieces. She deserved to be eaten, slowly and painfully.”

“What was left of the Kingdom of Celtic became ruins. It was now know as the Lost. The Kingdom of North became home to rouges. The heirs of each kingdom decided to respectively have their coronation together, creating a new holiday. In midsummer, we have a Day of Grief, honoring those who died in The Seven's Raging War. The day after it is known as the Day of New, where we celebrate our kings and queens and the riches of our kingdoms. We also have the Day of Love in the beginning of the summer. It's the day reserved for when we use our Orbs to split our tails and breed with our mates.”

Jack was suddenly glad that the dungeon was dark.

“Do you understand now?” Mark asked, his voice raw for talking for so long.

“No.” Jack answered. His head was spinning with names and information. And he was still quite groggy from passing out.

“Jack, did I ever explain what colored scales Adiah had exactly?” Mark asked.

“No.” Jack said, trying to rack his brain.

 

_**“They were light blue with a shimmering green undertone.”** _

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alrighty folks! I'll try and update every Saturday and I can't promise how long they'll be, but hopefully there will always be something. Sorry that this isn't too long, and yes, I actually have a notebook to keep all the information from this chapter. It's like maximum borkdrive up in here.

**Author's Note:**

> Okay! You made it through the first chapter! Well done! Regarding Felix's play through of Abzu, did any one else find it amazingly adorable when he couldn't pronounce manatee correctly? Like what did we do to deserve this precious bean? Updates will be scattered until I work out a proper schedule. I'll try and update once a week, sooner or later. Love you all and thank you for reading!


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